Maguireothamnus tatei (Standl.) Steyerm. var. tatei

  • Authority

    Maguire, Bassett & Wurdack, John J. 1964. The botany of the Guayana Highland--Part V. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 10: 1-278.

  • Family

    Rubiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Maguireothamnus tatei (Standl.) Steyerm. var. tatei

  • Description

    Distribution and Ecology - Distribution. Upper escarpments and summits of the sandstone table mountains of Venezuela along the western axis of the table mountains in Territorio Federal Amazonas from Cerro Sipapo (Paraque) south to Cerro Huahamacari. VENEZUELA. Amazonas: Mount Duida, summit of Peak no. 7; alt. 2130 m; Aug 1928-Apr 1929, G. H. H. Tate 623 (holotype of Chalepophyllum tatei, NY); Mount Duida, summit, slopes of ridge 25; alt. 1650-1800 m ; 4 ft high; 26 Nov-16 Dec 1928, Tate 427 (paratype of Chalepophyllum tatei, NY); Mount Duida, summit; alt. 1650-1800 m; Aug 1928-Apr 1929, Tate 1016 (paratype of Chalepophyllum tatei, NY); Cerro Duida, southeastern-facing slopes along Cano Negro (tributary of Caiio Iguapo) ; moist exposed cliff-face with Brocchinia tatei; alt. 1515 m ; shrub 2-3 ft tall with erect rigid stems; flowers very fragrant, white on lobes, buff-greenish on tube; leaves coriaceous, deep green above; 25-26 Aug 1944, Steyermark 58030 (F, NY, VEN); Cerro Duida, summit; high moist ridge top; alt. 1820-2075 m ; 4 Sep 1944, Steyermark 58335 (F, NY); Cerro Huachamacari, Rio Cunucunuma; frequent on summit of East Ridge; alt. 1820 m; wandlike shrub to 1.5 m high; flowers white; 8 Dec 1950, Maguire, Cowan, & Wurdack 30058 (NY); Cerro Huachamacari, Rio Cunucunuma; frequent in cumbre; alt. 1700 m ; 4 Dec 1950, Maguire, Cowan, dc Wurdack 29810 (NY); Cerro Huachamacari. Rio Cunucunuma; between Summit Camp and East Escarpment; alt. 1800-1950 m; 16 Dec 1950, Maguire, Cowan, & Wurdack 30263 (NY); Cerro Huachamacari, southeast escarpment; common in marshy scrub savanna; alt. 1900 m; 11 Dec 1950, Maejuire, Cowan, & Wurdack 30142 (NY); Cerro Huachamacari, Rio Cunucunuma; common on East Ridge; alt. 1800 m; shrub to 1 m; fruit reddish; 11 Dec 1950, Maguire, Cowan, & Wurdack 30129 (NY); Cerro Sipapo (Paraque); frequent near Camp Savanna; alt. 1500 m ; 6 Dec 1948, Maguire & Politi 27541 (NY); Cerro Sipapo (Paraque); 25 Jan 1949, Maguire & Politi 28582 (NY) ; Cerro Sipapo (Paraque); frequent near Camp Savanna; alt. 1500 m; 19 Jan 1949, Maguire & Politi 28449 (NY); Cerro Sipapo (Paraque); between Savanna Camp and West Peak; alt. 1500-1800 m ; 20 Dec 1948, Maguire & Politi 27801 (NY); Cerro Paraque; alt. 1600 m; Feb 1946, K. Phelps 11 (VEN); same locality and date, K. Phelps 28 (VEN).

  • Discussion

    Chalepophyllum tatei Standi. Field Mus. Bot. Ser. 7: 380. 1931.

    In Maguireothamn us tatei var. tatei the leaves are more cuneate and narrowed at the base and often more revolute than in var. latifolius. The leaf-blades are also generally narrower. Despite the fact that Chalepophyllum tatei was published on one page (p. 380) later than C. latifolium (p. 379), the present rules of International Nomenclature do not require strict page priority and permit the botanist to select the name for one taxon of a particular group, provided those names are published simultaneously, as in the present case. Since the variation represented by M. tatei var. tatei is the commoner and more prevalent type, and, therefore, biologically more widespread variation of the group, I have selected M. tatei as the nomenclatural as well as the taxonomic type of the group to which M. tatei belongs.

    The plants of Cerro Duida and Cerro Huachamacari in general have leafblades which are more revolute, narrower, and often more narrowed at the base, with a lance-elliptic to elliptic-oblong shape, and 3.5-9 mm broad. This is somewhat in contrast to the plants of Cerro Sipapo (Paraque) in which the leafblades are plane to only slightly revolute, averaging broader, elliptic-oblong to oblanceolate-oblong, and 7-17 mm broad. However, these variations merge into one another imperceptibly, with resulting intergradation and non-correlation. Although the tendency to broader, less revolute leaves is shown by the Cerro Sipapo material, it is believed justifiable to allow the variation to exist as such under M. tatei var. tatei.

  • Distribution

    Distribution. Upper escarpments and summits of the sandstone table mountains of Venezuela along the western axis of the table mountains in Territorio Federal Amazonas from Cerro Sipapo (Paraque) south to Cerro Huahamacari.

    Venezuela South America|